Iain Gray: MacAskill 'should publish notes of Megrahi meeting'

SCOTTISH Labour leader Iain Gray today called on justice secretary Kenny MacAskill to publish notes of the meeting with Megrahi in Greenock prison before he made his decision.

Mr Gray said the notes should be published before a Scottish Parliament debate next Wednesday.

Mr MacAskill misled Parliament in giving his reasons for meeting Megrahi in person, according to Mr Gray.

The justice secretary told Holyrood yesterday that before a UK-Libya prisoner transfer agreement was ratified, UK Justice Minister Jack Straw had given a commitment that prisoners must be allowed to make representations – Megrahi chose to do this in person.

But Mr Gray said: "I have spoken to Jack Straw and he has recommended all along that a prisoner should make representations in writing.

"There was never any need for Kenny MacAskill to go and see (Megrahi).

"Now we need to know what he said to Megrahi and what advice he got about such a meeting.

"He also owes it to the American families to publish notes of their discussions."

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